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Bad time of year for allergy sufferers

Tree pollens are a problem now, but grass pollens will add to the misery in a few weeks

By Teresa McMinn

For the Daily Record/Sunday News

Updated:
05/02/2014 04:32:04 PM EDT

Deb Hunt, a nurse with Allergy and Asthma Consultants in Spring Garden Township, makes serum for allergy shots. Those who suffer from tree allergies are sniffling and sneezing these days, but grass pollens will soon become the problem for others. While some sufferers had hoped the harsh winter would lessen the pollen problem, it probably just delayed it, a local nurse practitioner said. (Kate Penn — Daily Record/Sunday News)

A daily pollen count is listed in the lobby of Allergy and Asthma Consultants. Tree pollens are a problem now, but grass pollens will add to the misery for allergy sufferers in a few weeks. (Kate Penn — Daily Record/Sunday News)

Now that oak and maple trees are in bloom, Nancy Tileston can feel a difference in her health.

And it's not pleasant.

She suffers from allergies to the trees, which lately have been dropping pollen at a rapid rate, making many other allergy sufferers miserable.

"Right now is bad," she said.

Tileston, of York Township, was at Allergy and Asthma Consultants in Spring Garden Township recently to get her allergy shot. She's about two years into a five-year treatment program.

The immunotherapy process gradually introduces known allergens into a patient's body, which spurs their immune system to become more tolerant. The goal is for the patient to eventually be allergy-free.

While Tileston also uses allergy medications, she said the shots reduce her symptoms.

"Before I started (immunotherapy), I did not even go out in the spring," she said.

Immunotherapy typically offers a lot of relief for allergy sufferers, said Ann De Bien, nurse practitioner at Asthma & Allergy.

Recently, she worked at the company's Hanover office where she saw patients with a variety of symptoms, including itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing.

In addition to allergy shots and medication, folks can take other measures to reduce exposure to pollen such as showering after spending time outside.

"Include the hair when you shower," she said. "You need to get that pollen out."

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That's especially important for kids who suffer from seasonal allergies, De Bien said. "We're seeing so many (young) baseball players that are having a difficult time."

While some hoped the harsh winter would kill off some of the pollen this spring, cold temperatures probably just postponed the bloom time for trees, De Bien said. "It didn't do anything to the pollen, just delayed it."

Recent rain, wind and warm temperatures likely played more of a role in producing and spreading pollen.

Vials with concentrations of allergy serums line the desk of nurse Deb Hunt at Allergy and Asthma Consultants. Shot treatment programs over a period of years help make the immune system more tolerant. (Kate Penn — Daily Record/Sunday News)

"I think the spring has more to do with it than the winter," she said.

Tree pollen counts should start to taper off in a few weeks. But then it's time for grass pollen.

"For a while there can be both," De Bien said. "By June we're in full swing for grasses."

And that combination will make for a miserable allergy season, said Randy Adkins, meteorologist for AccuWeather.com.

"We're going to be hit hard with many different pollens all at the same time," said Adkins, also an allergy sufferer. "May into June is likely to be fairly brutal as far as allergies."

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